Complaint: Martha Shoffner Accepted Payments from Witness

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Complaint: Martha Shoffner Accepted Payments from Witness

A criminal complaint filed in federal court Monday alleges that Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner accepted a $6,000 payment from a cooperating witness working for the FBI, which recorded the transaction on Saturday and arrested her at her Newport home.

According to the criminal complaint, the FBI interviewed Shoffner, who admitted accepting multiple $6,000 payments and that “she knew it was wrong to accept the payment.”

Shoffner, 68, has been in Pulaski County jail since Saturday night. An arraignment is scheduled for today before U.S. District Court Magistrate H. David Young of Arkansas’ Eastern District. The U.S. Attorney’s office expects the hearing to begin before 11:30 a.m.

Chuck Banks of Little Rock is Shoffner’s attorney for the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jana Harris is representing the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The complaint, released ahead of Shoffner’s arraignment, alleges multiple payments to Shoffner by a broker who had done business with the Arkansas Treasurer’s office. The broker, identified as “CHS1” in the complaint, has been working as a witness for the FBI and granted immunity from prosecution.